“It’s okay, you don’t have to be so stiff. Just relax.”
The other student—seated at the desk—spoke in a gentle voice.
He wasn’t wearing an armband, but there was only one person in the entire school allowed to sit in that chair.
“Nice to meet you.”
I said.
Though I’d seen him from afar, this was our first conversation, so it felt appropriate.
He responded:
“Yeah, nice to meet you. I’m Tokimoto Kazusa, the student council president. Good to meet you, Kageyuki Sou-kun.”
Compared to Suruga senpai, Tokimoto senpai gave off a much softer impression.
His light blondish hair stood out, but his gentle smile made him seem more mature in a different way from her.
“Sorry to call you so suddenly. Has Kimiya-san explained anything to you?”
I shook my head.
“Not really…”
“I see. Then this might be a bit confusing. Sorry about that.”
“Oh, no. It’s fine.”
After saying all that, I suddenly realized—belatedly—that Kimiya wasn’t here with us.
—Just what could they have called me here for?
“Shall we sit and talk? Please, Kageyuki. Have a seat over there.”
President Tokimoto stood up from his chair and gestured toward the reception sofa at the front of the room.
I nodded and did as instructed, sitting down on the large sofa. Meanwhile, Vice President Suruga began preparing tea. …At the very least, they seem to be welcoming me.
“Have you started getting used to the school?”
The president asked me this after coming over to sit on the sofa across from me.
There’s no way they called me here just to check in on how a new student was doing. This must just be small talk to open the conversation. I nodded.
“Yes, more than I imagined before enrolling.”
“Oh? So you were pretty anxious before you started?”
“Well, everyone here already knew each other, so I was worried about whether I could fit in.”
“Haha, I suppose that makes sense. But even knowing that, you still chose our school. As student council president, I’m very pleased.”
President Tokimoto smiled with narrow eyes—always smiling, yet somehow unreadable.
If I recall, he was the heir to some major corporation or something. I don’t know the details, but he might have that in common with Kimiya, who comes from a powerful financial conglomerate.
He acts friendly, but you can’t let your guard down—a presence that gives that kind of impression.
“Here you go.”
Just then, Vice President Suruga approached with teacups filled with green tea.
He brought three cups. After placing them on the table, he sat down beside the president.
“Thank you, Kokono kun.”
Following the president’s words, I also bowed my head and said thank you.
Vice President Suruga gave a small nod in return, but didn’t say anything more. Instead:
“This is some pretty good tea. I buy it personally.”
“I see. That makes sense.”
“Yes. It’s especially delicious when brewed by Kokono kun—Vice President Suruga.”
“I see…”
All I could manage were shallow responses. “I see” was all I said.
What should I do? I can’t really tell the difference between types of tea leaves.
If skills like that are expected at this school, maybe I need to learn them.
I took a sip of the tea and said:
“It’s delicious.”
I figured they were expecting a comment on the taste, but I knew it wasn’t good enough.
It wasn’t a lie—but it wasn’t a clever or thoughtful answer either.
Luckily, neither of them seemed to mind.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Indeed.”
The president and vice president exchanged calm remarks.
I couldn’t even begin to guess what they were really thinking.
“If you ever want another cup, feel free to stop by anytime.”
“In that case, perhaps you should be the one to make it next time, President.”
“Oh dear. I’m not as good as Kokono kun, but is that alright with you, Kageyuki?”
“Ah, yes. That’s perfectly fine. Haha…”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
All I could do was give a dry laugh.
—I really struggle with this kind of atmosphere. Where everyone’s trying to read each other’s intentions.
It always brings up unpleasant memories. I feel like the weight of their stares pierces through me, like they can see what I’m hiding deep inside. I hate that feeling. That’s why I used to avoid thinking altogether—pretending to be a “good guy” and ignoring any kind of calculation or strategy.
“Well then. I suppose it’s time we get to the main topic.”
“…Alright.”
I nodded immediately at the president’s words.
There’s no room for hesitation. I chose this school specifically to overcome my weaknesses.
I can’t keep being trapped by the past. I looked straight ahead.
“You have something to talk to me about, right?”
So I decided to take the initiative and bring it up.
President Tokimoto nodded, confirming my assumption.
“Yes. Though rather than a conversation, I have a favor to ask of you.”
“A favor…? For me?”
“That’s right. There’s something I want to do, and I’ve been looking for someone suitable for it. That’s when I heard rumors about you, Kageyuki Sou. After speaking with Kimiya-san, I was convinced.”
I wondered what Kimiya told the president about me.
I was very curious, but this didn’t seem like the time to ask.
“Anyway, the favor I’m asking isn’t anything unusual. I want you to take on a request from the student council.”
—A request. So that’s what this is about.
The president must know I’ve been visiting various clubs. Otherwise, he wouldn’t use that wording. In fact, it feels like he’s indirectly acknowledging it.
Still, it was an odd way to phrase it if taken at face value.
“So… this isn’t about me joining the student council, right?”
“Of course not. All officers are chosen by election. I couldn’t appoint anyone on my own even if I wanted to.”
“Right…”
“The election is next month. Meaning that if I’m not re-elected, I’ve got less than a month left in this role. If you’re interested in student council work, I’d welcome your candidacy, but that’s not related to this.”
Both the president and vice president are second-years.
That means they’ve been in office since their first year. There’s a good chance he’ll be re-elected.
“So then—”
I took a breath, then asked:
“What exactly is it you want me to do?”
“To put it simply—‘interact.’ I want to borrow your perspective.”
“Interact…?”
It was a vague term, and I tilted my head in confusion.
The president’s demeanor didn’t change, though he did furrow his brow slightly.
“I am, after all, the student council president of Seishinkan. My job is to ensure that all students here have a fulfilling school life. But with this many students, there are inevitable limits to what I can do.”
“I see…”
“Because of our entrance exam policies, Seishinkan gathers students with exceptional talents. But that doesn’t mean everyone fully develops or utilizes those talents by the time they graduate. Still, I want as many students as possible to polish and refine their own skills.”
“That… makes sense.”
An impeccable ideal.
And President Tokimoto had a way of stating it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“If I were to put it more bluntly, I’d say ‘I want results.’ If students in my term produce outstanding achievements, that becomes my achievement as well.”
“…I see.”
“For most academic schools, that would mean college acceptance stats. But our school isn’t just about that. Every year, about half the students go straight to Seishinkan University. Instead, our strength lies in having many students with unique talents. That’s where I see my role.”
—And at the same time, yours.
He added this almost as an afterthought.
“To be direct, there are students here who haven’t been using the special talents they had when they enrolled. What I want from you is to support them.”
“Support…?”
“Yes. It’s a shame for someone to spend three years here without using the abilities they were accepted for. Maybe they’re struggling, maybe they’ve lost interest, or maybe they’ve found another path. It varies from person to person, but if there’s still a chance, the student council wants to support them. You could say it’s a kind of well-meaning interference.”
“So that’s what you meant by ‘interact.’”
“You could also call it a kind of managerial role. Our school doesn’t officially have managers for clubs, so I admire the perspective you brought when you noticed that and filled the gap. I want you to think of this as an extension of that.”
“Well… in my case, I’m just doing little odd jobs I was asked to do. And the idea wasn’t even mine—it came from Kimiya.”
“I know. And still, I’m asking you. I’m not expecting anything extraordinary. But if possible, I’d like those students to regain confidence in their abilities. And I believe you’ve already proven in this past month that you have the ability to help them do that.”
I wondered—do I really have the kind of ability the president expects from me?
At the very least, I couldn’t dismiss his request outright. His reasoning made sense, and it was true that I’d been involved in many clubs. Calling this a natural extension made it harder to refuse.
He continued:
“At Seishinkan, those who produce results receive strong support based on their abilities. That level of support is among the best in the country. I’ve been working hard on that this year. So just to be clear, what I’m asking of you only involves the parts I can’t reach myself.”
He took a sip of his tea.
Then he turned back to me.
“That’s the general idea. If you have questions, I’m happy to answer them.”
I thought I understood the gist of it. Still, it was a curious proposition.
I gathered my thoughts and then asked the president….
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